The following are excerpts from an editorial by Editor Hussain Shariatmadari that appeared in Iran's conservative daily, Kayhan:[1]
"Today, the majority of the peoples of America and Europe understand that Bush's personality is like [that of] one of the millions of vagabonds and bastards seen all over the world, particularly in America. Had he been born 150 years ago, and had he put a six-shooter on his belt, and had he robbed and killed the passengers of stage coaches traveling on the unguarded dusty mountainous roads in those days – if this kind of vagabond bastard had appeared [wearing] a sheriff's uniform… someone would have come to give him some bullets in the chest, ending his miserable life and saving [the taxpayer from paying] the money to hire the sheriff [and] preventing massacres. But what about today?"
"'Why drop bombs? Drop Bush from an airplane'… 'Bush is a fascist,' 'Bush is Hitler,' 'Bush is a war criminal'… 'Bush is stupid,' 'Bush is retarded,' 'Bush is insane.' These are slogans said daily by millions of people in America and Europe…"
"[The] great majority of Muslim people, particularly the young ones in Islamic countries, wait impatiently for American military action, because the stupidity of Bush and his gang and the massacre of millions of innocent Muslims [in Iraq]… will spark the same reaction [as in Palestine] and encourage young Muslims in other countries to take revenge on the American military."
"…Today, hundreds of young Palestinians are seeking martyrdom. They have written their names on the long list of Jihad, and they await [their] turn.There will be great opportunities to take revenge upon the American military, [and] this will be easier than the revenge [sought by] the Palestinians. Why miss the opportunity?"
"In the event of an American attack, the Muslim masses will join this divine and holy war. Lebanon and Palestine are two clear examples of this."
"…Can America stand in the way of people seeking Shehada [martyrdom] in God's way? Will the seekers of martyrdom get their wish because of the American presence in the region?"
"Imam Khomeini said: 'A nation that seeks Shehada is unfettered.'"
[1] Kayhan Daily, (Iran), January 21, 2003.
